Freezing Time
by mo-creature4
Summary: Kei Tempus is a mysterious time mage with a past known to none in the guild. Curiosities are peaked at her strange reactions to certain events. When Natsu's group befriends her, will they pry open the secrets of her life before the guild?


Tick. Screams of pain echo. Tock. Magic pressure overflowed. Tick. Tock.

Her eye shot open. She looked around and she was in the guild of Fairy Tail. Just a nightmare. The quiet ticking sounded around her. She mainly heard the small clock on her right ear, dangling as an earring. The hourglass around her neck moved when she adjusted herself to sit up. Her arms covered in gloves slid back into her long black cloak after combing her ebony hair to make sure it covered her left eye. All was well.

She observed the various characters around the guild as they all interacted with one another. Reedus was painting. Cana was drinking. Mira was serving beer. All was well. The guild doors flew open, silencing the various conversations.

"We're back!", a voice yelled. Natsu of course. Many members asked how their job went, wishing them a welcome home. He was followed by a few others. Members of his team.

"Oi! Natsu! Where's the mage you mentioned? Horologium needs to be fixed!", the blonde girl said frantically tugging at his arm.

"Oh yeah I almost forgot!", he said with a laugh.

"Who was it again?", Gray asked, his shirt off already.

"Who else could it be?", Erza said.

"Kei!", Natsu yelled. The woman's eye looked up at the dragon slayer.

"Huh? What do you need?", she said.

"Lucy here has this clock guy and I thought you'd be able to fix him.", he said pointing to the blonde girl.

"So you're the infamous Lucy people are talking about.", Kei said.

"I-imfamous?", Lucy said questioning the choice of words.

"How may I help?", she said with a giggle. Lucy summoned the clock and Kei's amber eye lit up.

"Oh my goodness, I adore grandfather clocks!", she said happily. She reached her hands and observed the clock and what seemed to be wrong. "Seems simple enough. Should only take about half and hour."

"Half an hour? He'll time out before then!", Lucy said.

"No worries, it'll only feel like a few seconds...for you at least." She lifted her hands from her cloak and her hands faced outward, the only pointed fingers were her pointer finger and pinky.

"Kei is a powerful time mage.", Gray said pulling Lucy away from her range.

"What does she mean by a few seconds for us?", she questioned.

"Just watch and see.", the ice mage said with a smile. Kei's hands ticked to that of a clock, turning until they faced inwards. Then, a magic circle appeared and disappeared in seconds.

"All done.", she said. Hologium popped up and told Lucy that he was fixed.

"How did you do that?", she said with wide eyes.

"What does it look like? I fixed him by stopping time."

"Stopping time?"

"So many questions. My magic can bend time, stop it, slow it down, even speed it up." Her jaw dropped slightly as she tried to process what she said.

"I think she owes you her thanks.", Erza said, lightly nudging the dumbfounded girl.

"Yes! Thank you for fixing him!", she said bowing her head.

"No problem, I love clocks.", Kei said with a small smile.

* * *

Lucy and the others socialized with Kei, asking about her jobs and questions of her magic.

"You're last job took a long time, how did it go?", Erza asked.

"Wait wait, could it have gone fast if you used your magic?", Lucy questioned.

"Technically, yes but also no. I could have if I didn't use any of my magic for the job. Time magic takes a lot of energy out of you and especially for that amount of time. I don't have infinite magic energy."

"Ohh." Lucy pondered more questions about the time mage.

"Hey Kei?", Gray asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Would you want to join us on our next job?", Gray offered, avoiding her glance.

"Sounds fun, I'd love to.", she said with a soft smile.

"Alright! Now I'm all fired up! Let's go!", Natsu yelled, fire puffing from his mouth, enjoying the thought of a new companion. Kei gave him a questioning look but ended up giggling.

"We have to pick a job first you flaming piece of shit.", he said in an annoyed tone.

"What did you call me, popsicle pervert?", Natsu said in an angered voice.

"Why I oughta-!", Gray said pressing his forehead against Natsu's staring him down. Natsu only joined in the action.

"Now's not the time boys.", Erza said in her stern voice. The boys parted and groaned.

"C'mon Kei, let's pick a job.", Gray said, obviously still angered by his fiery comrade.

"He llllikes her~", Happy said, rolling his tongue.

"W-who says I do?", Gray yelled at the cat.

"No one, but you blush tells me I'm right~", Happy sang.

"No! I just-! Gah!", Gray said frantically. "C'mon Kei!", he said grabbing her arm. Kei's eyes widened and she yanked her arm from his grip quickly. Gray looked at her shocked but Kei's eyes seemed to reflect terror.

"Please don't touch my arm..", she said seriously. "I mean, it just hurts a bit from my job is all.", she said timidly, laughing nervously.

"Okay...?", he said, still a bit confused, following the shorter girl to the job board. They looked over various jobs, jewel rewards and what they asked to do.

"What about this one?", Gray offered, pointing to one of the posters. It read 'Reverse Village! Conspiracy happenings! Strong mages needed! 700,000 Jewel Reward'.

"Sounds intriguing, why not?", she said with a small smile. They showed the job to the others and they agreed. The group got approval from Master and decided to head out in the morning.

"Come on, I'll walk you home, Kei.", Gray said.

"No need, I sleep at the guild.", Kei corrected.

"Really? Why not get an apartment?"

"Eh, I only spend my money on food, plus Master lets me sleep in the infirmary."

"Oh..", the ice mage said in a disappointed tone.

"Well you could walk me to the infirmary, if you wanted to..", the time mage said, twirling a piece of her hair. A smile returned to Gray's face as he politely lead her to the empty room. She sat on one of the white beds, removing her small bag and extra belt that both held extra supplies.

"You don't take off your cloak or gloves?", Gray pointed out. Kei almost seemed to flinch at the question.

"I just don't, they're kind of like self comfort things, ya know?" Gray nodded in understanding but couldn't help but be suspicious. A small silence filled the room but obvious ticking seemed very loud in the quiet.

"Sorry, I'm kinda awkward.", Kei said quietly.

"No, don't worry, I better get going. I'll see you tomorrow, Kei." The ice mage finished with those words and left the room. The time mage was left alone in the room, her only companion was the sound of clocks.

Gray walked in the night to Lucy's home, left with his thoughts.

'Dammit! Why am I so awkward around her?' He cursed himself in his head.

'But also, why did she freak out when I touched her arm? And why did it sound as if there were multiple clocks in that silence just now? Does she have more clocks in her cloak or something?' His thoughts kept repeating the questions and thought of many answers and possible scenarios, but none seemed to solve the mysteries of Kei Tempus.


End file.
